Telemotor



M. B. BENSON.

TELEMOTOR.

APPLICATION rum 050.251.1916.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I OJ p &

INVENTOR. M 3.

ATTORNEY M. B. BENSON, mimoron.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29. I916 Patented Apr. 12,1921.

.1 SHEETS-SHIFT 2.

' INVENTORQ A TTORNE Y M. B. BENSON.

mmoms. APPLICATION FILED 056.29. is.

1,374,180. Patnted Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

BY M A. Mag. W IM J A n22? mELvmn BENSON, or surname, WISCONSIN.

TELEMOTOR.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. 139,528.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MELVIN B. BENSON,

a citizen of the United States residingat Superior, in. the county of onglas'and State of -Wisconsin, have inventedicertain new and useful Improvements in Telemotors, of which I do hereby declare the following to be a specification.

My invention relates to telemotors, and has for its primary object the provision of improvements insteering gear for vessels. It has for a further object the provision of improved means for actuating the supply, or exhaust valve of an engine distant from the station of the operator. With these and other objects in view, it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section and partly in diagram, of my said invention. Fig. 2, is a central vertical longitudinal section of the hereinafter described controller box and pedestal; partly broken away, and of parts positionedthere:

on, or therein.

Fig. 3, is a front elevation partly broken away, of the hereinafter-dc scribed auxiliary controller case. Fig. 4, is a vertical mately on the line AB-CD of igr 3. Fig. 5, is a vertical transverse section approximately on the line E-FG-H of said Fig. 3. Fig. 6, is a fragmentary plan view of the hereinafter described reciprocatinc collector bar, showing the hereinafter described insulation pad interposed therein. Fig. 7, is a fragmentary plan viewpartl in diagram showing my invention as app led to the direct operationofa steering gear from which a steam, or gas engine is omitted.

Heretofore it has been customary to operate the steering gear on large vessels by means of a .hand steerin wheel having a hub connected with the tiller by cables or chains extending aft from a pilot house near the front of the vessel; or else by oil tele, motors in which oil pipes extend aft from 1. cylinder in the pilot house to a cylinder near the rudder head; a piston in the pilot house cylinder being operated by the steering wheel-and a piston in the aft cylinder.

longitudinal section a proxibeing driven by the piped oil and connected.

to the valve of a steam steering engine. Where the cable or chain connections are used on an empty yessel,they tend to become; slack; or when used one laden vesselthey,

tend to s re ch, r to be ome t utth they bind if the shi is of considerable length. In. an oil teemotor, air bubbles tend to accumulate in thepipes andto become compressed thereinso that the cylinder pistons donot worlr in'aceurate accordance with the steering wheel and the rudder does nottake the ositionindicated by such steering wheel. urther, the oil tends to leak around ,one end of the piston so permit:

the rudder to work toward center when the steering wheel and of their travel. y

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a controller box of any suitable form or construction, mountedion a support of any suitable form or construction, as on a pedestal 1". Paid controller box, when used in-conneetion with a steering gear for vessels, is preferably positioned in a pilot house in the fore part of suclrvessel. .With jn said controller box are preferably positioned electric contacts 2 and 3, of thecollectorar typeysaid con; tacts beinginsulatedfifoni each other and from .theadjoining box by any suitable insulating inaterial, of any suitable structure or form, {by the insulating. plate 4,. supi said conductor, to. which thimble SitidliOIl'.

ductor is'secured and with which it is, adapted to turn. Said conductor is also preferably insulated from said post and thiinble in any a suitable manner .or by any suitable means, as by a thimble 10? of insulating material. Said thimble llfextendsabove the' cover of said box, and there, is mounted thereon an operating lever,,12 by which said thimble and said conductor maybe oscillated sothat one end of said conductor10. will come into contact with any one or an other of said contact points 6.

Positioned within said bOX,1S a plate or:

fork 13, which is"piv'otally mounted upon any suitable support, as upon said post '11. from, which it 1oreferablyinsulated. Said oil pistons areat one endplate or fork carries a contact pin, 14 preferably insulated therefrom and electrically connected in any suitable manner, as by a Wire 14, with a contact point 14" carried by and insulated from said conductor and adapted to contact with said bar 3. Said contact 14 extends into the path of oscillation in one direction of said conductor 10, and when said conductor is moved 10 slightly in such direction it contacts therewith and closes a circuit including said bar 2, conductor 10, pin 14, wire 14, point 14*, and bar 3. The further movement of said conductor 10 in such direction maintains 15 said circuit and at the same time causes the plate or fork 13'to swing on its pivot. Said plate or fork also carries a stop 15, extend ing into the path of said'conductor 10 at the opposite side thereof, so that when the conductor 10 is moved away from said contact 14 for a. very short distance it will bear against said stop and cause said plate or fork to swing on its pivot, whereby the con- -tact point 14 is caused to follow said conductor 10 at a very short distance therefrom. Said plate or fork is also provided with a constant brake of any suitable form, structure, or osition, as with a brake shoe 16 carried t ereby and bearing upon a to brake rail 16, whichmay be supported in any suitable manner, as by posts 16"..

he bar 2 is connected at all times in any suitable manner as by a wire 17 with the positive pole of a suitable source of electricity, as the generator 18; said bar 2 being used merel in preference .to connecting said wire 1 to the conductor 10. Said bar 3 is connected at all times in any suitable manner, as by a wire 19, with the negative pole of said generator; said bar 3 being used merely in preference to connecting said wire 19 to a contact point carried by the plate 13. Formed, or interposed in said wire is a relay coil 19. Said contact points 6 are at all times respectively connected as by wires 6 with corresponding contact points 6" insulated in any suitable manner as by a stationary insulation plate 20 (through which they extend), from direct communication with each other. One or another of said contacts 6"or a group com risin all but a varyin one of themis a a ted to contact at al times with a movab e contact member, preferably comprising a reciprocable contact bar 21, ex-

tending beneath all, or all but one of said points 6". Interposed in the contact surface of said bar 21, at a point beneath the central one of said contacts 6 when said bar is in central or. neutral position, is an insulation pad 21*. Said insulation ad is adapted to be moved with, or by sai reciprocating contact, in either direction, into op osing position to any one or another of said contacts 6", whereby the contact 6 thus opposed is temporarily insulated from said reciprocating contact 21. Said reciprocatin bar or contact is mounted upon any suitable form or structure of carrier, as upon a slide plate 22, from which it is insulated in any suitable manner as by an insulation plate 23. Said slide plate is mounted in any suitable uides, as the walls of an auxiliary control or box 24. Said slide plate is provided with a fixed nut 22 adapted to engage a drive screw or worm 25, bywhich said plate is reciprocated. Said screw is driven by an electric motor, A, through suitable intermediate transmission mechanism, as the sprocket wheel 26. belt' 27, sprocket 28, gear 29 and pinion 30.

Contacting with said reciprocating contact'at all times, is a stationary contact point 31 which is, in any suitable manner,

as by a wire 31, connected with the negative pole ofsaid generator, said contact 31 being used merely in preference to a direct attachment of wire 31 to said reciprocating con'tact'21. It will be observed that when said contact 31 is employed, the reciprocating contact 21 will be made long enough to keep in contact with it when said insulation pad has moved to its farthest point of travel away from said contact 31; said reciprocating contact being shortened in the drawin s because of insufficient space. Interpose or formed in said wire 31 is a rela coil 31". A relay armature 32 is adapt ed to be governed by said coil 31", and is opposed by a contact point 33 of a normally open contact which point 33 is connected with the positive pole of said generator by an suitable conductor, as by a wire 34. Said armature 32 is also opposed by a point 35 of said normally open contact, which point 35 is connected by any suitable conductor, as by a wire 36, with points 37 and 38 of a normally open and a normally closed contact, respectively, said points 37 and bein carried by a rela armature 39 gov erneii by said coil 19*. 'lhe point 38 of said normally closed contact is electrically connected through its stationary opposing con tact point 38 and a wire 38" with the positive ole of Said motor, the negative pole of w ich motor is connected as by a wire 40 with the stationary contact point, 40, of a normally closed contact, the opposing point 40' of which is carried by said armature 39 and is connected in any suitable manner, as by the wires 40 and 19, with the negative pole of said enerator. Said normally open contact 37 is opposed by a stationary contact point 41, which is connected by any suitable conductor, as by wires 41 and 40 to the negative vole of said motor,-the positive pole of sai motor bein connected by any suitable conductor as t e wires 38" and 42 with a stationary contact point 42 of a normally open contact,

llll

the opposing point 43 of which is carried by said armature 39 and is connected by the wires 40 and 19 with the negative pole of said generator. Where practicable, full distance parallel wires to the same poles are avoided by establishin branches from a main line to oints to e connected therewith. The re ay armature 32, or a single contact carried thereby is adapted in operation to connect the contact points 33 and 35.

Said motor is connected mechanically 1'1 any suitable manner, as by said pinion 30, gear 29, a pinion 44, a gear 45, a drive screw 46, a nut 47, a slide plate 47, a connecting rod 48, a walking beam 49 and a connecting rod 50, with any desired mechanism to be operated, as to the valve stem 51 of the valve 52 an engine (not shown) or by any desired means, as by said pinion 30, gear 29, pinion 44 and gear and screw or worm 46, to any suitable form of steering gear, as to a gear comprising a drum 53 and flexible hauling means 54 wound thereon and engaging a segment 55 secured to a rudder post 56.

In operation, assuming the conductor 10 to be midway between the contact pin 14 and the stop 15 and to be in contact with the central one of the contact oints 6, and that the insulation pad 21* is in opposition to the central contact point 6", and that the armature 32 is idle and the contact points 33 and 35 are not bridged, and that the armature 39 is down, there will be no flow of current and thedevice will be idle. If then the conductor 10 be swun toward the stop 15 and into contact with tl ie next point 6 on that side of the center, a circuit will be closed thereby from the generator to bar 2, thence to conductor 10, thence to point 6, thence to point 6", thence to reciprocating contact 21, thence to contact point 31, thence through the coil 31" to the opposite pole of said generator. The energizin of coil 31 causes the armature 32 to bridge contact points 33 and 35, thus closinga circuit from said generator through contact oints 33 and 35 and through points 38 an 38* to said motor, thence through contact points 40 and 40 to the opposite pole of said generator. The energizing of the motor causes it, through the transmission mechanism described," to turn said screw 25, whereby the reciprdcalt ing contact is drawn over until'theinsulating pad 21 is in opposition to the point 6 in circuit, whereupon. said point 6 will become insulated and the circuit will be opened, causing the armature 32 to fall'thus opening the circuit throughsaid motor. At the same time that said motor has been operating said screw 25, it has also been operating said engine valve, or such other mechanism as may be connected to said motor instead of such valve. The operation may be repeated in the same direction by moving the conductor 10 to the second oint 6 at the same side of the center, an so from point to point; or the single operation may be prolonged by advancing the conductor 10 several points in the same direction by a continuous movement.

To reverse the operation, the conductor 10 is moved in the opposite direction and into contact with the contact pin on point 14, and, continuing into contact also with any point 6 on the corresponding side of the last previous stopping place of said conductor 10. When said conductor 10 contacts with the point 14, it closes a circuit from said generator through said bar 2, thence to conductor 10, thence to the oint 14, thence through wire 14 to the point 14*, thence to the bar 3, thence through the coil 19, thence to the opposite pole of said generator. The energized coil 19 operates the armature 39, which carries the points 37 and 43 into contact with the points 41 and 42, respectively, which is preparatory to routing the current reversely through said motor. Such circuit being established and maintained, the sub sequent contact of conductor 10 with a point 6 in the path of its continued advance will close a circuit, as before, from the generator through bar 3, conductor 10, point 6, point 6", reciprocating contact 21 point 31, and coil 31 to the opposite pole oi said generator. The energized coil 31 thereupon operates the armature 32, causing it to bridge contact points 33 and 35, thereby closing a circuit from said generator through contacts 33 and 35, thence (reference to connecting wires being omitted for brevity), through contacts 37 and 41, thence through said motor (reversely), thence through contacts 42 and 43, thence to the opposite pole of said generator. The reversal of the current through said motor reverses the motor, which reverses the screw 25, whereby the reciprocating contact is thrust over until the insulating pad 21 is in 0 position to the point 6 which is connects with the point 6 with which said conductor 10 is temporarily in contact, whereupon the motor circuit is opened. By movin the support 10 out of contact with any an every point 6 in either direction the motor circuit is opened arbitrarily without respect to the position of said pad '21. By moving'the support 10 out of contact with the point 14, the revers- V in circuit is opened. ile I have described the preferred form of my said invention, it is obvious that it ma bemodified or altered in various;de-'- tai s of construction, as by substituting-mechanical equivalents for certain mechanical parts shown, or by substituting electrical equivalents for certain electrical parts shown, or by trans osing certain contacts or conductors, or y changing the form, prop0rtions or dimensions of certain parts, or in other ways all within the spirit and scope of and of certain of my claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination of a source of electricity and a motor in circuit therewith, said circuit including a normally open contact, a second normally open contact and athird normally open contact; a second circuit including said source, a normally open contact and a relay coil; a third circuit including said source, a normally open contact, a normally closed contact and a relay coil; manually operable means for closin the normally open contact of said second and third circuits respectively, means adapted to be automatically operated by said motor for opening the normally closed contact of said third circuit after the closing of the normally open contact of said third circuit, means overned by the coil of said third circuit or closin one of the normally open contacts of said rst circuit, and means governed by the coil of said second circuit for closing the other normally open contacts of said first circuit.

2. The combination of a source of electricity and a motor in circuit therewith, said circuit including a normally open contact; a second circuit including said source, a plurality of normally open contacts in parallel, a plurality of normally closed contacts in parallel, each of said normally closed contacts being in a series with a corresponding one of said normally open contacts of said second circuit, means for closing any one of said normally open contacts of said second circuit, means for automatically opening the corresponding one of said normally closed contacts after the closing of any one of said normally opencontacts of said second circuit, and means governed by said second circuit for closing. the normally open contact of said first circuit, the contact opening means employed in said second circuit being governed by said first circuit.

3. The combination 'of a source of electricity and an electric motor in circuit therewith, said circuit including a normally open contact, a second normally open contact and a third normally open contact; a second electric circuit including said source, a normally open contact and a relay coil; a third circuit including said source, a normally open contact a normally closed contact and a relay coil; means for closing the normally open contact oi said second circuit, said means comprising a hand. lever, a movable conduotor arm operated thereby and electrically connected to one of the poles of said source, a yielding support, a contact carried by said support and extending into the path of said conductor arm, and electrically connected with the opposite pole of said source, said support being rovided with a constant brake for retar inn its movement, said support having a stop extending therefrom and adapted to limit the distance of travel of said conductor arm away from said contact carried by said support and to cause said support and the contact carried thereby to follow said conductor arm in retractive direction, said conductor arm being also adapted to close the normally open contact of said third circuit; means for automatically opening the normally closed contact of said third circuit at a predetermined time after the closing of the normally open contact thereof, means governed by the relay coil of the third circuit for closing one of the normally open contacts of said first cir cuit, and means governed by the relay coil of said second circuit for closing the other normally open contacts of said first circuit.

4. The combination of a source of electricity and a motor in circuit therewith, said circuit including a normally open contact, a normally closed contact and a second normally closed contact; a second circuit including said source, said motor, said normally open contact, a second normally open contact and a third normally open contact; a third circuit including said source, a normally open contact and a normally closed contact; a fourth circuit including said source, and a normally open contact; means for closing the normally open contact of said third circuit, means adapted to be automatically operated by said motor to open the normally closed contact of said third circuit after the closing of the normally open contact of said third circuit, means for closing the normally open contact of said fourth circuit, means dependent on said third circuit for closing the normally open contact common to said firstand second cir cuits, means dependent upon said fourth circuit for opening the normally closed contacts of said first circuit and for closing two of the normally open contacts of said second circuit.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN B. BENSON. Witnesses JAMES F. WATSON, JOHN B..RIOHARDB. 

